Above: Pair of bald eagles, Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge (photo © Andrew Reding)
Established in 1978, Rainshadow Bird Alliance (formerly Admiralty Audubon Society) is a chapter of the National Audubon Society serving Port Townsend and the communities of eastern Jefferson County, Washington, bordered by the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the north, Admiralty Inlet on the east, Hood Canal to the south, and the majestic Olympic Mountains to the west.
Our Mission
To initiate, promote, assist, and encourage the understanding and appreciation of nature and the conservation of wildlife and wilderness, natural resources, and natural beauty.
“What else could I do? This is the only thing that could be done - for the birds. It had to be done ... and there was no one else around to do it. So I did. You know, it’s about our own survival too. Feeding those birds outside the window reminds me each day ... of how we all help each other in this world. Most people think about our problems today as being beyond them. People told me it was hopeless. But it can be done. I just never would take no for an answer.”
What We've Achieved
After raising $50,000 to buy 23 lots on Protection Island, Admiralty Audubon Society (now Rainshadow Bird Alliance) teamed up with the Nature Conservancy to persuade county, state, and national groups, agencies, and politicians, to create Protection Island National Wildlife in 1982. More than 70 percent of Puget Sound’s seabirds nest on 364-acre Protection Island.
Our purple martin nest box project has established breeding colonies at the Port Townsend Boat Haven and Fort Worden State Park.
Organizing, conducting bird surveys, and cooperating with state and federal groups to head off proposed development on Kah Tai Lagoon. Our efforts led to a 2013 land swap between the Port and City of Port Townsend to add 20 acres to Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park and preserve it in perpetuity.
